i believe house cleaning is embodied prayer...

Our "warm" spell in these old hills has come and gone so it now looks, feels, and smells like April in the Berkshires. That's as it should be with mud to be dealt with, leaves to be raked, daffodils to adore, and seedlings to get into their wee planters. I've finished my Sunday worship work for this week (sometimes you're the windshield and sometimes you're the bug, right?) so I spent a few hours down in the basement clutter. Besides a mountain of boxes, not much has happened down there since before Christmas so it's fair to say it was a mess. But not any more - and that helps me chill a bit.

Those who know me well understand that I genuinely love to clean the house. Work in the garden and yard, too. Not only can I see and experience the fruit of my labor, but it feels like an embodied prayer for those I cherish. Same goes for setting a lovely table or cooking a tasty meal. Once again, I resonate with the simple, direct, and sacramental spirituality of Carrie Newcomer. Her poem, "Kindness," is talking to me today.

Kindness is human size,

Hones and doable, 

Softening even the hardest of days,

The country cousin to love,

Unpretentious,

And daily,

And completely possible,

It takes out its earbuds

And listens to your story.

It gives up its seat on the bus

And hums in the kitchen,

Washing dishes when nobody asked it to.

And more often than not,

If I start with a little kindness

Love is usually following

Just a few steps behind,

Nodding and smiling

And saying,

"That's the way it's done.
"Yes, honey,

That's the way it is done."

After an afternoon break I'll head to the grocery store to pick up a few things for tonight's band practice. Our drummer celebrates a birthday today and he' such a precious friend. We'll rock out - but not until we honor a big hearted brother. One more Carrie Newcomer gift comes to mind...